In open-water swimming, you have to be totally 100% involved in what you’re doing...every minute...second...moment.

If you lose focus or don’t know what’s going on around you, you can look up and you’ll have lost the pack or you’ll be swimming off course or you might be 20 yards behind your group.  

And it can happen early.  People are always looking to make breaks and get out in front and you need to be conscious of where you are at every moment.  

You need to make decisions right away -- are you going to stay back with the pack or are you going to go with the person who’s breaking away.  If you’re zoned out and not involved in the race or what’s going on around you, you can miss an opportunity or -- worse -- you can start to panic or feel overwhelmed.  

The best way to stay aware is to use bilateral breathing.  The most common pattern is to breathe every 3 strokes.

But you can use any pattern -- like breathing twice to the left and then twice to the right.

When you’re ready to increase the pace, you can go back to breathing on your more comfortable side...but when you’re trying to stay focused and aware, bilateral breathing is the way to go. 

In a race, knowing how to read the pack can give you a real edge.   If the pack looks like this – with the leaders swimming side by side – the pace will usually be slow.  This is a typical pack for early in the race, when no one wants to take the lead.  

In this situation, and if it’s early in the race, the best place to be is at the back of the pack.   This is where you’ll get the greatest benefit – drafting off everyone in front of you.

The next best position is in the middle rows – but on the outside.  

The position you want to avoid is being right in the middle of the center rows.  In the middle, you’ve got people on both sides slowing you down.  And from this position it’s hard to make a move if someone breaks away.

As the race progresses, you might see a pack that looks like this.  One swimmer is leading and is doing most of the work.  Not the greatest place to be in the early or middle part of a race.

The two swimmers right behind the leader are in great position.  They’re getting a draft off the leader and will be able to make a move…or counter a move…if someone breaks away.

The least favorable place to be is in the center of the pack.   It will be very physical in here, because you’re surrounded by swimmers.  

A better position is in the middle rows of the pack, but on the outside.  

And, better still, is to be in the back of the pack, where you get a great draft off everyone breaking the water in front of you.  It’s good to be back here at the beginning or middle of a race, but after mid-race, people will start to swim faster and to move up, so you have to stay aware if you’re drafting at the back.

In a short race – and this is typical of most triathlons – you may see a pack that looks like this.  It’s called a “spread pack” and it indicates that the pace is fast.

The lead position is good for late in the race, but bad for early in the race.

The position right behind the leader is great.  It lets you draft, save energy, and be in position to make a move at the finish.

The next two swimmers might lose a little ground by swimming right next to each other, but they’re in good position to get a draft off the leaders and they’ll have the ability to counter any moves – or to make a move themselves.

Being farther back and in the center of the pack is the least desirable position.  It can get physical in there, and you run the risk of getting boxed in.   

If you’re back in the pack, try moving to the outside, just far enough to get out of the washing machine but not far enough that you lose the draft from the swimmers in front.

If you’re swimming solo at the very back of the back, the drafting is great but you risk being unable to counter a move by the leaders.  

Here’s another fast pack, and this is typical for late in a race.

The leader is in great position for the finish, but needs to be confident he can finish strong and hold off any challengers.

The next swimmer is in great position – conserving energy – and will have the ability to pass at the end if he has something left.

The third swimmer is also in good position.

The fourth swimmer is getting a great draft, but has to make a really big move to pass.  

The next two swimmers…and the swimmers in “wing” position in the next-to-last row --  are in OK shape for drafting, but need to start moving up if they want to stay with the leaders. 

The swimmer in the middle at the rear of the back is getting a super draft, but could get boxed in if he wants to move up.  Great draft, but it’s going to cost him at the finish.

Every race will be different, so the thing to remember is that you need to stay aware of what’s happening around you.  If you can learn to “read the pack” and know where the best positions are…at each point in the race…you’ll gain a huge advantage over your competitors.  


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Skills for Open Water - Reading the Pack